A Tale Of Love
by Batdz Angel
Summary: Does love survive all boundaries, even that of death?


** The one and only Batdz Angel**

**Is Proud to present**

**A ****_Daria_********Fanfiction**

© Copyrighted 1997 to 2002, _Daria_ is the property of MTV (Music Television) and the property of its creators. I am in no way affiliated with either and this is merely for entertainment purposes. Any lyrics found in this story are mine unless noted. If you would like to use them for some purpose, please e-mail me at the address below.

If you would like to draw any fanart, please let me know what of and where it shall be posted at _Chelita777@aol.com_. Thanks!

I've realized my talents seem to lie in the sad and tearful stories. Anyways, enjoy this and don't forget to review! Flames will be laughed at while sweet comments remembered and cherished.

**Summary:** Does love survive all boundaries, even that of death?

**A Tale of Love**

She still had the same eyes, the same coolly gray eyes that burned into his soul with a force that wasn't matched by anyone, not even the many women he had thought he loved. They all had the same characteristics, the same almost red hair, the same slim build but none had compared to her…

No one ever could.

His lover had left him when she was no longer able to pretend that it was her he was making love too, no longer able to ignore that his heart belonged to a girl who had left him when he was young and free…

He dreamt that he was that young man again, sitting in his kitchen, watching her as she watched him, wanting to touch her, aching to hold her…

Then the dream shattered…

And she was gone.

And he was alone.

He awoke with a start, his heart pounding in his ears, the lights of his bedroom flickering as his sister said, "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," he smiled at her slightly. "Go back to sleep."

She eyed him for a moment, her expression one of doubt and said, "You sure?"

He rolled his eyes. "I'm old enough to sleep alone. I have been for years now." 

She narrowed her eyes. "Don't be a smart ass," she said her voice tinged with amusement. "Night."

"Night."

The lights were turned off and he leaned back in his bed, rubbing a hand across his eyes tiredly. He tried to return to sleep but all he could think of was how she had taken his heart without a single word…

The next morning, he left his house and drove towards the cemetery, fingers clutching the steering wheel. He parked and opened the car door, the rain coming down in a light sheen. He opened his umbrella and walked through he rain, eyes coolly dark behind a pair of designer sunglasses. He paused at the tombstone, eyes tracing the words written there…

_Daria Anne Morgendorffer_

_Beloved daughter and sister_

_We will always love you…_

He remembered the funeral, how he and his sister had come to pay their respects, and been turned away by the words of her mother. Her mother, the same woman who had taken the chance they had had at happiness. Her mother, the woman who had taken the one woman in the world he had ever needed like air to live…

He knelt down, fingers trembling as he brushed away the drops of rain. His eyes filled with tears and he shook his head, saying, "Hey…Daria. It's been a while hasn't it?"

He could see her in his mind's eye, eyebrows raised and eyes filled with sarcastic wisdom as she answered his greeting.

_"It's been a while? Geez Trent, you'd think you could come up with a better hello."_

He smiled to himself and leaned back on his haunches, saying, "I know I've been a jerk, not coming to visit you but…it's hard Daria. I mean, I haven't been the same since that night…"

He could see her sigh and shake her head, eyes sad.

_"It wasn't your fault Trent. You weren't to blame…"_

"Wasn't I?" he asked bitterly. "If I hadn't been driving, if I had been paying more attention to the road…"

He could almost feel her place a hand on his cheek…

_"Nothing would have changed if you had Trent. I would still be gone…"_

He wiped away the tears with one hand, sunglasses stowed away in his pocket. Thickly, past the tears, he said, "I loved you Daria. I just…never got the guts to tell you. But I _wanted _to tell you…"

A soft smile. A light blush…

_"You never had to tell me Trent. I always knew…"_

He sighed and pressed his hand to his lips, brushing his fingers against the headstone. Standing, he said, "I love you Daria. Always." 

Then, he turned and went back to his life.

He was sitting on his couch, guitar in his lined hands, humming a tune he hadn't sang since he was twenty-three years old, distraught over the death of his secret love…

He strummed a few chords and looked up as his son entered the room, eyes as dark as his own widening slightly in surprise. Taking a seat across from his father, his son said, "Dad? What are you playing?"

"It's an old song," Trent answered as he angled a look at his son. "Want to hear it?"

James Lane nodded, eyes bright with curiosity. He leaned back as his father strummed a few chords on the guitar and began to sing, his voice soft and husky as he spoke of love lost…

"Phantom lovers' kiss upon my lips

Holding you close to me

Listening to your heart

Beating its own rundown tune…

Where have you gone?

I thought we were forever

What did I do?

Did I not love you thoroughly?

Cling to the vine

The vine won't break

I won't let you down

Not now, not ever…

Your eyes pierce into my soul

And haunt me in my dreams

I wish I could tell you

The tale of love I feel for you…

And maybe, someday

We will be amongst the stars…"[1]

Trent's voice broke at the end of the song and James said hesitantly, "Dad? You all right?"

"Yeah," Trent smiled at his son, although his eyes seemed far away. "I'm fine."

James nodded.

That night, He knew it was an apparition he was seeing. She had been gone for far too long and he had aged as Time had intended, his hair grayed, his eyesight dimmed, his skin wrinkled, and his bones bending with age. He had dreamt of her for years and had yearned for her, had searched for someone that could match her in some way…

He held her in his arms and whispered the words that he had never been able to tell her while alive…

She looked up at him with gray eyes and said, "Are you ready?"

"For what?" he asked.

"To come with me," she replied. "To be with me forever Trent. Are you ready?"

He smiled. "I've always been ready Daria. I just needed to know you wanted me."

She smiled back, eyes filled with love. "I've always wanted you…"

The next morning, James Lane went to check on his father and found him, lying in his bed, a smile on his face. He peered at his deceased father and sighed quietly, whispering, "Goodbye Dad…" as he turned and left to break the news to his family.

In Trent's hand, was a crumpled photograph of a girl with dark gray eyes and auburn hair. Beside her stood a slim, lean young man with spiky black hair and bright brown eyes…

On the floor lay the lyrics to a song Trent had written years ago…

_"And maybe, someday_

_We will be amongst the stars…"_

And they were.

**FINIS**

  


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[1] Original Lyrics: "Tale of Love


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